With information on healthy eating and exercise, blood pressure checks and even massages, the Bowyer Community Building was a popular place Saturday for the 12th annual Diabetes Health Fair organized by the Flint Hills Community Health Center-Lyon County Health Department.

Organizer Lana Anstey says the focus on diabetes has to do in large part with family history, but it also has to do with changes in lifestyle for a lot of Americans. Lack of exercise and genetic history are also contributing factors.

Audio file failed to load...

The American Diabetes Association says over 8 percent of Americans, or close to 26 million people, have diabetes of some sort -- including as many as seven million who may be undiagnosed. Another 79 million Americans have prediabetes. Over a quarter of all seniors ages 65 and older have the disease.

The Health Center-Health Department is using a patient center-medical home model approach, giving patients a team of doctors and qualified staff to care for the individual and provide education to help long-term.